


Let Us Feel

by flipflop_diva



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Comfort/Angst, Established Relationship, F/F, Post-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Trust, ambiguous timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 02:56:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13825008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: Everyone said they would not last. They could not last. Mantis knew they said that. She also knew they did not truly understand.





	Let Us Feel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Morvidra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morvidra/gifts).



Everyone said they would not last. They could not last. Mantis knew they said that. She heard them when they thought she was not listening. And she understood.

She, Mantis, was naïve, gentle. She spent all her days feeling other people’s emotions and watching the effect they had.

Natasha was not naïve. She was hardened, scarred. She spent much time trying to bury any feelings she might have. She did not like to truly feel. She did not wish emotions to get in her way.

But what the others did not understand was that they were also alike. Once children forced into lives they had not wished. Now adults trying to right wrongs they have committed.

They were very much alike, Mantis thought. They understood each other. They taught each other.

Natasha taught her to be wise, to look out for herself. Natasha taught her about life on earth, about making friends.

And she taught Natasha about using her emotions to help her. She taught Natasha about love.

They taught each other. And they helped each other. When no one else could.

Mantis had been waiting for them to return. The others had gone off on a mission, but something had happened. She saw the concern on Maria’s face as she directed someone on the other end to bring the Quinjet home. She listened as Maria talked. An orphanage bombed. Dead children.

Mantis was standing there when the plane landed. Steve got off first. He walked straight over to her, stopping in front of her.

“It’s bad,” Steve whispered to Mantis. He pointed behind him at the plane. “She won’t talk to me, but maybe she’ll talk to you.”

Mantis waited until the rest of them had deplaned before she went inside. She found Natasha. She was against the back wall of the Quinjet, her legs pulled up to her chest, her arms locked around them. She was staring straight ahead. She did not look at Mantis even as Mantis took her spot on the ground beside her.

They sat there like that for a few minutes. Mantis didn’t touch her, but she could almost see the shame and the sadness radiating off her body.

Finally she spoke. “You can talk to me,” Mantis said.

Natasha turned her head at that, stared at Mantis. 

“It is not your fault,” Mantis told her. “You did your best.”

Natasha turned her head away. Her hands squeezed her legs harder, her knuckles now almost white.

“Did Steve tell you that?” she asked, almost coldly.

“No,” Mantis said. “He did not have to. You always do your best.”

Natasha’s eyes shifted toward Mantis again. “Maybe I didn’t,” she said.

“I do not think you really believe that,” Mantis replied. “I think you are sad and just saying things.”

Natasha shrugged.

“Let me help,” Mantis said. “You know I can.”

Natasha shook her head. “I don’t want to not feel sad,” she said. Her voice had dropped to barely more than a whisper. “I need to still feel sad.”

“You will still feel sad,” Mantis said, and sensing permission, she finally placed her arms around her girlfriend, directed Nat’s head to her shoulder, started running her fingers through the soft red curls.

“No emotions to take away,” Mantis whispered to her. “Just love to give.” 

And she held on to Natasha little bit tighter when she felt the wetness from her tears start to dampen her shirt.

This is why they would last, Mantis knew. Because Natasha let her in, and she would never let her go.

**Author's Note:**

> 


End file.
